1. Field of the Invention
Computerized methods and systems for user-interactive, multimedia cataloguing, navigation and previewing of films and films on video.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is an object of the present invention to provide cost-effective computer-implemented methodologies and systems for cataloguing, navigating, performing data retrieval and previewing of clips of films and videos, in general, and films on video arid at the point-of-sale, in particular. Other embodiments of the present invention can be used on-line or in the home.
User-interactive, point of sale, preview systems for music on audio compact discs (CDs), with varying degrees of multimedia interfaces, are known, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,768 (CD listening along with viewing of associated "MTV" or other full-motion video presentations) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,157 (CD listening booth).
CD-ROM based movie databases are also known. While "Microsoft Cinemania 1994" a product of Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Washington, permits the user to view 20 clips of classic films, about 900 movie stills, 150 dialogue audio clips, 100 music clips, 4,000 biographies, and almost 23,000 articles and film reviews, its database and navigation functions are limited, the video clips jerky and it is intended for home use. Another CD-ROM movie database intended for home use is "Mega Movie Guide" a product of Infobusiness Inc. of Orem, Utah. Again, though it offers about two-hours of full-sound, full-motion clips (about 127 clips from about 30 movies), 5,800 thumbnail movie reviews, profiles and still photographs of movie stars, Academy Award trivia, like Microsoft Cinemania 1994, it also is intended for personal use, and its database and navigation functions are limited.
Unfortunately, current video information lookup systems suffer from poor navigation strategies, which result in either providing users with large, ungainly result lists from which they have choose by scrolling through the list, or giving them an unsatisfactory response that "No Match Is Found."
It is an object of the present invention to provide data structure relations conducive to intuitive and hence easy-to-use navigation of a film and video database.
It is an object of the present invention to make learning about film and video a more transparent, simple and entertaining process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an economically feasible, point-of-sale system, while maintaining relatively short navigation and display times.
It is a further object of the present invention to permit the user to perform combination searches on a plurality of search items.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a multimedia, point-of-sale system, whereat the user may efficiently and easily search through a film and video database and selectively obtain written, aural and visual information regarding films and videos.